SC notice to Odisha govt on Sarathi’s bail plea

Admitting a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by self-proclaimed godman Sarathi Baba alias Santosh Raul seeking bail in the controversial female medico case, the Supreme Court today served a notice to Odisha government to present its side in the matter.

Sarathi Baba had moved the Supreme Court on December 13 last year seeking bail in two cases cases against him concerning the controversial female medico and the one involving a woman and her daughter from Barimul in Kendrapara district who had complained that Sarathi had exploited them both sexually and physically apart from defrauding them of their gold ornaments and money.

It may be mentioned here that Sarathi Baba’s bail plea was rejected by the Orissa High Court on November 18 last year.

Notably, the female medico had filed an FIR against four persons accusing them of blackmailing her for over four months and forcing her to accompany Sarathi to Hyderabad where she spent three nights with him at a hotel in Hyderabad in the first week of July in 2015.

Further, a woman and her daughter hailing from Barimul who were working at Sarathi’s ashram had lodged a complaint with the Crime Branch that Sarathi had taken Rs 1.15 lakh and gold ornaments from them. They had also complained that the godman had outraged their modesty and shot objectionable photographs of theirs.

Sarathi who was arrested by the police on August 8, 2015, from his Barimul ashram has been lodged at the Choudwar Circle Jail since then.